Medical Malpractice Lawsuits Against Team Physicians in the National Football League Increased Between 1971 and 2020 But Remain Low Overall

Abstract

Purpose

To examine malpractice lawsuits filed by National Football League (NFL) players against team physicians to understand the factors involved with medical liability in the context of professional football.

Methods

A comprehensive review of publicly available legal databases, court records, and news archives was conducted in August 2023 to identify and analyze malpractice lawsuits involving NFL players, teams, and team physicians. Data on case demographics, physician subspecialty, allegations, and outcomes, including monetary amounts, were collected and analyzed. Linear regression was used to assess for a temporal relation with the number of lawsuits.

Results

There were 273 physicians identified, of whom 190 were orthopaedic surgeons. There were 28 lawsuits filed by NFL players against physicians, and a significant increase in lawsuits was identified from 1971 to 2020 ( P = .0086, R ² = 0.60). The most common anatomic locations of injury in the lawsuits were the knee (n = 11), spine (n = 4), and foot/ankle (n = 4). Other lawsuits included a lawsuit for wrongful death resulting from a heat-related injury, as well as a class action lawsuit regarding pain medication prescribing practices and other individual lawsuits over anti-inflammatory use. The highest amount for which a lawsuit was filed was $180 million, with at least 6 lawsuits filed for over $1 million, although many settlements and final verdicts were not available or were sealed.

Conclusions

There was an increase in the number of medical malpractice lawsuits filed by professional athletes against team physicians in the NFL between 1971 and 2020, but the overall number remains low.

Clinical Relevance

Understanding the frequency and characteristics of medical malpractice lawsuits is essential for physicians, sports organizations, and policymakers to help guide appropriate health care delivery and risk management strategies for athletes in the NFL.